There are many types of berries that are poisonous and can cause mild to severe medical complications, and some can even be fatal. Here are some of the most common poisonous berries to avoid:

• Holly berries: These tiny berries contain the toxic compound saponin, which may cause nausea, vomiting, and stomach cramps.

• Mistletoe: This popular Christmas plant has white berries that contain the toxic compound phoratoxin. It can cause stomach issues and a slow heartbeat, as well as brain, kidney, and adrenal gland toxicity.

• Pokeweed berries: These purple berries look like grapes but contain toxic compounds in the roots, leaves, stem, and fruit. This plant tends to get more toxic as it matures, and eating the berries is potentially fatal.

• Ivy berries: Purple-black to orange-yellow in color, these berries contain the toxin saponin. They may cause nausea, vomiting, and stomach cramps.

• Yew berries: These bright red berries contain potentially toxic seeds. Eating too many yew seeds caused seizures in one study.

• Baneberries: Found in bright red and white colors with trademark dots in their centers, baneberry plants are common in the Midwest. Eating only a few of these bitter berries is enough to cause sedation and cardiac arrest.

• European Spindle berries: These berries contain several poisons, including glycosides, evobioside, evomonoside, and evonoside. Thirty berries are a fatal dose.

• Lily of the Valley berries: These small, red berries contain cardiac glycosides, which can cause nausea, vomiting, and irregular heartbeats.

Its important to note that white and yellow berries are almost always poisonous, and around half of red berries are poisonous. There are also blue and black berries that are poisonous. If youre not 100 percent certain that a berry is safe to eat, dont take the risk.